This invention relates to a vaginal retractor and more particularly to a posterior vaginal retractor for vaginal procedures or surgery.
The use of weighted speculums is well known for depressing the posterior vaginal wall of patients during surgery or other procedures. However, weighted speculums move, slip and fall onto the floor or onto the surgeon's feet. They are either too short or too long and constantly slip and fall. The angle of the weighted speculum blade is either too sharp and consequently obstructs the surgeon's view, or the angle of the blade is too shallow to stay in the vagina during the surgery or procedure.
Blades of weighted speculums do not conform to the shape of the vagina, and they are not heavy enough to depress the posterior vaginal wall in patients with strong perineal muscles. Also, with weighted speculums, the level of depression of the posterior vaginal wall is not under the surgeon's control. As a result, the surgeon cannot control the view required to perform any particular procedure. Heavy weighted speculums come in standard sizes and do not meet the need for different patient sizes, particularly in children. All of these factors adversely affect the quality of the surgery or the procedure, increase surgery time, contribute to the surgeon's frustration, and increase the cost of the surgery or the procedure and the risk of complications.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a posterior vaginal retractor which enables a surgeon to perform vaginal surgeries or procedures under a controlled environment with ease and with avoidance of the factors described above.
Another object is to provide a posterior vaginal retractor for vaginal surgeries or procedures which offers versatility and flexibility to the surgeon together with more control over the surgery or procedure.
A further object of the invention is the provision of a posterior vaginal retractor which fixes a speculum blade in one desired position so that the blade does not move, slip or fall.
Still another object is to provide a posterior vaginal retractor which can be used with the lower blade of any standard or conventional vaginal speculum.
A still further object is to provide a posterior vaginal retractor which enables the surgeon to fix the posterior vaginal wall in any position desired by the surgeon to perform a surgery or procedure.
Still another object is to provide a posterior vaginal retractor which provides an enhanced view of the vagina during the surgery or procedure and which also provides a better view of pedicles to assist in prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of bleeding from the pedicles, thus reducing the risk of complications.
Another object is to provide a posterior vaginal retractor all parts of which are fixed in a desired position during use so there is no risk of instruments falling and injuring the surgeon or a surgical assistant.
Another object is to provide a posterior vaginal retractor which allows the assistant more opportunity to attend to other events and steps during the surgery or the procedure.
A further object of the invention is the provision of a posterior vaginal retractor which enables the surgeon to pay more attention to the actual surgery or procedure and allows the surgeon to respond quickly and effectively in handling complications.
Another object is to provide a posterior vaginal retractor which can be used with specially designed speculum blades to provide greater ease and flexibility for certain vaginal procedures.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages are realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.